Author Topic: What's your favorite launch bar? Your favorite features? Missing Features? (Read 90383 times)

mouser · « **Reply #25 on:** January 08, 2006, 10:49 AM »

one of the motivations for me in making a launch bar is saving the settings in a nice clear configuration file (which would make it easier to move around, backup, etc.). the launch bar i currentl use (advanced launch bar) keeps all settings in the registry and i really dislike that. so the dc one will definitely use a transportable config file.

Innuendo · « **Reply #26 on:** January 08, 2006, 11:57 AM »

Darwin,
Re: WB5...Ohh...I understand now. Post v5 updates. Gotya...

Re: Show Desktop in TLB...I was just getting ready to post that it works fine here when I saw that it is now working fine for you now as well & that it may be a gradual thing that creeps up. I'll keep an eye out for it.

Mouser,
Darwin summed up a lot of strengths of TLB quite well, but I suggest you install it yourself. There's a free trial with no restrictions on usability & that'd be the best way for you to get a grasp on what TLB is capable of doing. We could post all day & not cover everything this little gem can do.

Hirudin · « **Reply #27 on:** January 09, 2006, 05:37 AM »

bonus points to anyone who can figure out what my specialty is from my avatar

Anthropology?

Does T.L.B. (1 lower than TLC?) let you create right-click submenus? (Like what Edvard was talking about.)

my Firefox button of course opens Firefox when I click it. A right-click pops up a menu of the category "internet" that includes IE, Filezilla, Opera, and may also include Instant Message and IRC apps, Upload links, etc.

Like I said before, my experience with a very similar feature has been VERY beneficial! I hope you consider putting a feature like this into your launch bar mouser!

Darwin · « **Reply #28 on:** January 09, 2006, 08:40 AM »

Hirudin - well done!

thomthowolf · « **Reply #29 on:** January 09, 2006, 03:52 PM »

I currently use PS Hot Launch ( http://www.pssoftlab.com/pshl_info.phtml ), which is not strictly speaking a launch bar, but a fully customizable and freeware menu program that sits in the System Tray and effectively replaces the Start Menu and Quick Launch. In addition to listing and grouping applications as you like, you can do the same with documents, folders, web pages, and email addresses. Configuration is easy with drag and drop.

Rick

-rkrause (January 06, 2006, 12:07 PM)

I have used hot launch for years, and I echo that since I started using Find and Run I mainly use it for active locations, sort of a shortcut navigator.
As for what I would want in a launcher:
1. Drag and Drop configuration
2. cascading sub menus
3. One of my favorite features of true launch bar (which I still use on my home machine) is the ability to drag a file into a folder located on any of my submenus.
4 Access to windows featured locations (like network places, or the control panel) with a single click

I guess that, in general, I would want it to be easy and fast to set up, and just as easy to change, along with being easy to transfer from one computer to another.

CGA · « **Reply #30 on:** January 09, 2006, 04:08 PM »

Well I have tried a lot of launchers and come to the same conclusion as many others here, Truelaunchbar is a very nice program and I have stuck to it for years now. One thing that bugs me with other lauchers is that when you make a shortcut to a folder, that shortcut doesn't include the name of the folder, at best it pops up when you hover your mouse over it, very annoying.
And Truleaunchbar does have an easy way of saving the setup. TLB settings->General options->Backup toolbar.

Edvard · « **Reply #31 on:** January 09, 2006, 05:26 PM »

@thomthowolf: Just FYI- PowerPro does all those things. If you don't mind an app launcher that does about a half-billion other things, as well as being as easy to fully configure as a cold fish, it's pretty cool.

Personally, I am hoping for a launcher that will do what I am asking PP to do, but without the zillion other things. PowerPro Lite, if you will.

mouser · « **Reply #32 on:** January 09, 2006, 05:33 PM »

i happen to be a drag+drop fanatic - so you can rest assured that any drag and drop features possible will be implemented; i'm also a big fan of hierarchical menu structures, so i expect that to play a big role in this. im hoping we can think up some unique functionality.

Hirudin · « **Reply #33 on:** January 09, 2006, 07:32 PM »

Here's an idea that may be unique:

Make it so the shortcuts use relitive paths so that it could be put onto a flash drive and have quick shortcuts to the applications on the drive.

I use a flash drive at work, and it would be awesome if I could have a quick menu to all the apps/documents on the drive.

thomthowolf · « **Reply #34 on:** January 09, 2006, 10:45 PM »

@thomthowolf: Just FYI- PowerPro does all those things. If you don't mind an app launcher that does about a half-billion other things, as well as being as easy to fully configure as a cold fish, it's pretty cool.

Personally, I am hoping for a launcher that will do what I am asking PP to do, but without the zillion other things. PowerPro Lite, if you will.
-Edvard (January 09, 2006, 05:26 PM)

You can configure fish? Who woulda thought? I have tested powerpro and sight unseen I would rather take a shot at the fish. WAY too much capability there, and still not enough pay off to make it worth the time invested.
I think the thumb drive idea has merit. I just came to the forum through a bookmark, and was thinking about the "Open in tabs" feature. Something that would certainly make a launcher unique in my experience would be a simple way of getting to multiple file and/or program launching. The idea is to have something like checkboxes, so that I could select on the fly multiple things to launch.
Also, a macro facility(like drag and drop robot?)Maybe some combination of those. I think I am tired. I'm going to go configure a fish and go to bed.

AbteriX · « **Reply #35 on:** January 10, 2006, 03:10 AM »

... im hoping we can think up some unique functionality.
-mouser (January 09, 2006, 05:33 PM)

for the MouserBar:

- tool tips for the clock for to see the time in different time zones
- "address bar" for to execute DOS or FARR commands
- option to see picture (for them they have bigger monitore) of our loved ones
- option to have bigger picture as icons (i.e. only some but bigger icons/pics, maybe only 8 at onces, for the older one of us)
- option to have text only, without any icon. Maybe have the text in any size you want.
- this is in general a good idea: resize e.g. the clock to big font size.
- option to have count down and stop watch
- otion to see an calendar
- option to have an drop-down notepad for quick notes, with auto hide
- option to see system recourses <?>

- maybe an second "flowting out" bar with the items from the "Quick Launch"-folder
- (have i read this in this thread?) "Fly-out"-icons like in graphic editor => one main icon with an fly out drop-down menu _
for to have the main most wanted tool in front, but alternatives in the fly-out menu.
- optional timer to start apps and link on an given time (remind me on my eBay bid time)
- MouserBar should have the most needed .CPL links out of the box in the installer
- command line calculator (=> OK, this is an issue for the second item from the top above)
- optional an field for to see RSS feeds <?>
- or to remote work with an messenger ? ? for not to have an extra messenger window on the right side.

...

NewKreation · « **Reply #36 on:** January 13, 2006, 09:57 AM »

The things I must have...

Import directory of shortcuts
Sort Alphabetically
Icons
Keyboard shortcuts(pressing "a" cycles through the programs beginning with an A)
See all programs in one window
Fast

After trying MANY launchers, I find myself loving the built-in Start menu more and more.

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/6135/startmenu1ny.png

What's your favorite launch bar? Your favorite features? Missing Features?

tigersmustlive · « **Reply #37 on:** January 13, 2006, 11:22 AM »

sits idly by, picking his nose and scratching his a$$

twinkler · « **Reply #38 on:** January 28, 2006, 04:35 AM »

Even though it's not the prettiest thing, I use RUNit (http://www.magister-lex.at/RUNit) because I can specify that the menu appear when I right-click on a screen border. This is much easier and faster than having to find a small icon in my crowded system tray.

app103 · « **Reply #39 on:** January 28, 2006, 05:33 AM »

With a taskbar like this, who needs a launchbar? Unless it would be exactly like the existing windows taskbar in function so I can set it on the left side and load it up like I did to this one.

Personally, I hate menus and would rather have neat rows of sorted shortcuts to everything I want to use. I also hate using the start menu, and only go there for rarely used things I have installed that I failed to include on my taskbar.

This is a screenshot of what I did with the taskbar on my old P1 that has winME installed on it.

http://img23.imageshack.us/img23/413/cherryblossomtheme3yo.png

What's your favorite launch bar? Your favorite features? Missing Features?

My P4 is much less cluttered...I haven't had it very long. And before anybody asks...

No, there is no software that I know of that has a toilet roll for an icon...that's my recycle bin...looks like a toilet when it's empty :-P

AbteriX · « **Reply #40 on:** January 28, 2006, 07:04 AM »

new (? hmm?) ideas:

- no registry use, only INI stored settings (as usual for DC.Apps)
- option to just unpack and work (as usual for DC.Apps)

- an kind of "wrapper" to use apps meant for the TNA works in Mouser.Bar too.
(i.e. would be nice to use our favorite "TClockEx1.4.2" -clock in the Mouser.Bar)

- see a little web side in the bar (in an text field or so?) for many use i.e. for javascript

mouser · « **Reply #41 on:** January 28, 2006, 07:36 AM »

hi stefan,
what is TNA?

AbteriX · « **Reply #42 on:** January 28, 2006, 09:29 AM »

TNA=> Tray Notifying Area

oh no, wait....

Task Notification Area
the thing near the clock on the lower right side of your desktop :-D
aka Systray or simple Tray

AbteriX · « **Reply #43 on:** January 28, 2006, 09:34 AM »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taskbar

In Windows, the default location for the taskbar is at the bottom of the screen, ...
from left to right it contains by default
the Start menu,
Quick Launch bar,
Taskbar buttons
and Notification area (popularly called the system tray).

...
...
...
The last part of the taskbar is called the notification area or system tray.
It contains mainly status notifications, though some programs, (such as Winamp),
use it for minimized windows. The clock by default appears here, and applications
can put icons in the notification area to indicate the status of an operation or to notify the user about an event. For example, an application might put a printer icon
in the status area to show that a print job is under way, or a display driver
application may provide quick access to various screen resolutions.

HTH my friend :-)

Amadawn · « **Reply #44 on:** January 29, 2006, 04:35 AM »

Mouser, I already mentioned RocketDock earlier but have you heard of Microsoft Research's GroupBar (http://research.microsoft.com/vibe/groupbar.aspx)? It is not really an app launcher, it is more of a task manager (a replacement of the default windows taskbar). The cool thing about it is that it can "remember" the documents that you had open and it can reopen them later. It is quite cool, although it is only a proof of concept and not really useful as it is.

jgpaiva · « **Reply #45 on:** January 29, 2006, 05:35 AM »

GroupBar is sooo nice!
It's just a shame it's sooo buggy to..

But it's a very interesting concept, i think it deserves much attention!
Isn't there another program similar to GroupBar? (one that really works?

)

mouser · « **Reply #46 on:** January 29, 2006, 07:05 AM »

nice find! i never heard of that before. definitely useful to study for inspiration.

Amadawn · « **Reply #47 on:** January 29, 2006, 05:41 PM »

Isn't there another program similar to GroupBar? (one that really works? )
-jgpaiva (January 29, 2006, 05:35 AM)

Well, there is a free program called DeskLoops (http://www.xilokit.com/deskloops/) which is somehow similar (in that it lets you remember open windows). It is actually a strange but interesting concept (you can see a demo on their website).

Also, there is also a little free program that allows you to reorder the programs in the windows taskbar, called TaskBar++ (http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA013430/program/taskbarpp/main.html). The website is in Japanese but I've seen this program recommended in downloadsquad, I believe. It is not directly related to the "launchbar" but I thought it might interst you guys as well.

The thing that I really like about GroupBar is that you can put windows together and treat them as a unit. The thing I dislike the most is that it does not integrate the system tray, and thus you cannot get rid of the default windows task bar. But the concept is very neat.

Edvard · « **Reply #48 on:** January 30, 2006, 11:07 AM »

Still off-topic but relevant to the current disco: Fungustabs

Okay, we all know what a tab is, right? So what fungusTabs does is place a tab on the outside of each main, or top-level window. You may then group the tabs together to form tab sets. What a tab set does is present all of its windows in a familiar bar of tabs, one tab for each window in that tab set group. In addition, only the tab set's active window is shown; all of its non-active windows are moved off of the desktop. What you end up with is a desktop with fewer windows displayed but with ready access to them all.

I'm trying it right now...

Magic Speller · « **Reply #49 on:** January 31, 2006, 11:38 PM »

Great thread, guys. It's going to take me some time to digest it all, but....

I'd just like to add my voice to those who mentioned Find and Run Robot. Wow! I also find myself using desktop, start menu, and other access methods less and less now that I have F&RR. Great job, Mouser!